Year of visit

Location

d'Erp Castle

d'Erp Castle, locally known as Kasteel d'Erp or "de Borcht", lies in the town of Baarlo in the Limburg province in the Netherlands.

Although the castle doesn't look like it, it had quite a violent past.

The castle was first mentioned in 1388 when it was sold to the Van Montfort family. In 1473 the castle was taken by the troops of Charles the Bold. In 1501 the castle became property of the Van Eyll family. In 1511 was again sieged and taken by the English troops of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. This Emperor visited the castle in 1543. In 1572 the castle was, yet again, ransacked by the troops of William of Orange. After it was set on fire in 1578 the castle was finally nothing more than a ruin.

At the end of the 16th century the castle was rebuilt by Sybert van Eyll III. His family owned the castle until 1613. Later on the castle was owned by the Van Laer-Hoenlo and van Bierens families. The last private owners of the castle were the d'Erp-Holt. It was their ownership that gave the castle its present name. Their heirs sold the castle to the town council in 1962. In 1970's the dilapidated castle was restored during which part of the gate tower collapsed due to a passageway that had been cut out of the thickness of the wall in earlier times. Later on part of it was used as the official residence of the mayor.

The present castle mostly dates back to the 17th century. Until 1850 the castle was equipped with a double moat. It has 3 residential wings around a small rectangular courtyard, with the gate tower at its 4th side. It is almost completely built out of brick, with exception of the gate tower that also partly was built out of marl. This tower probably dates back to its earliest building periods.

At present the castle is used as a private residence and can not be visited.

Year of visit

Location

d'Erp Castle

d'Erp Castle, locally known as Kasteel d'Erp or "de Borcht", lies in the town of Baarlo in the Limburg province in the Netherlands.

Although the castle doesn't look like it, it had quite a violent past.

The castle was first mentioned in 1388 when it was sold to the Van Montfort family. In 1473 the castle was taken by the troops of Charles the Bold. In 1501 the castle became property of the Van Eyll family. In 1511 was again sieged and taken by the English troops of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. This Emperor visited the castle in 1543. In 1572 the castle was, yet again, ransacked by the troops of William of Orange. After it was set on fire in 1578 the castle was finally nothing more than a ruin.

At the end of the 16th century the castle was rebuilt by Sybert van Eyll III. His family owned the castle until 1613. Later on the castle was owned by the Van Laer-Hoenlo and van Bierens families. The last private owners of the castle were the d'Erp-Holt. It was their ownership that gave the castle its present name. Their heirs sold the castle to the town council in 1962. In 1970's the dilapidated castle was restored during which part of the gate tower collapsed due to a passageway that had been cut out of the thickness of the wall in earlier times. Later on part of it was used as the official residence of the mayor.

The present castle mostly dates back to the 17th century. Until 1850 the castle was equipped with a double moat. It has 3 residential wings around a small rectangular courtyard, with the gate tower at its 4th side. It is almost completely built out of brick, with exception of the gate tower that also partly was built out of marl. This tower probably dates back to its earliest building periods.

At present the castle is used as a private residence and can not be visited.